The present invention relates generally to combined welder and compressor units, and more particularly to a unit of this type having an oil separator for separating oil from a pressurized fluid containing oil.
Portable welding and compressor units transportable to a work site are known. Typical known units include a lightweight frame consisting of metal tubing on which is mounted an internal combustion engine that is directly connected to a generator which generates an amperage to operate the unit or welder. The generator further provides auxiliary alternating current for operating auxiliary equipment, such as an air compressor. The air compressor provides compressed air for pneumatic equipment as well as certain welding applications, such as operating a plasma cutting torch. Other known portable welder and compressor units include an engine, alternator, compressor, and air tank assembly mounted within a housing along an extended length of the housing.
In such welder and compressor units, there is a stream of fluid, normally air, that comes from the compressor and which is desired to be used for some end purpose requiring a source of pressurized air. That stream, however, may contain a large quantity of oil and which is not desirable for most end uses and, additionally, it is important to recover that oil to reuse the oil in order to efficiently operate the welder and compressor unit. Accordingly, one of the normal components of such welder and compressor units is an oil separator, that is, a separator that acts upon a stream of fluid that contains oil to separate the oil for reuse, or disposal in the event the oil is intended to be completely changed, and to thereby also provide a source of pressurized air that is sufficiently free of the presence of oil so as to be used for some end purpose, such as a compressed air supply for the operation of pneumatic equipment.
Therefore, one of the main purposes of the oil separator of such welder and air compressor combinations is to separate the air and the oil so that the oil can be recovered and the air used for the desired end purpose and, particularly with a welder and compressor combination unit, it is also important that the oil separator be compact or at least be minimized in its overall size so as to be transportable along with the welder and compressor unit while carrying out the efficient separation of the oil from the stream of fluid containing that oil.
The present invention is directed to an improved oil separator that is particularly adapted to be used with a welder and compressor combination to supply compressed air and electrical current for pneumatic and arc welding operations to overcome the aforementioned concerns.
In the preferred embodiment, and as will be specifically described herein, the present oil separator will be described and illustrated as being used with a compressor and portable welder unit and where the compressor is preferably an internal screw compressor, however, it will become clear that the present oil separator may be used with a wide variety of other apparatus and equipment to carry out its function of separating oil from a stream of fluid, including fluids other than air, for many purposes.
Thus, with the present invention, an oil separator is provided that is relatively compact and yet efficiently carries out the function of separating oil from the stream of air containing that oil that is received from an air compressor. In the present invention, the oil separator has a arcuate housing, preferable cylindrical, and has a closed cover enclosing the upper portion of the housing and a bottom enclosing a lower portion. An inlet is located in the upper portion of the housing and through which the stream of fluid containing a quantity of entrained oil passes into the interior of the housing. A baffle or deflector directs that path of the flow of the oil laden stream to create an oil flow generally around the circular inner surface of that housing such that the oil tracks in a circular or spirally downwardly path aided by the force of gravity to eventually travel to the bottom of the housing. At the same time, the compressed air is caused to separate out and is allowed to flow upwardly through an outlet in the upper portion of the housing, preferably in the closed cover of that housing.
The circularly flowing stream of oil that swirls downwardly along the inner surface of the cylindrical housing passes through an annular slot located at the bottom, of the housing and which annular slot is formed intermediate the internal circular surface of the housing and the exterior edge of a circular plate that is concentric with the inner surface of the cylindrical housing at which point the stream of oil thus enters a lower chamber formed in the housing beneath the circular plate. The lower chamber includes a plurality of radially directed baffles that interrupt the circular path of the movement of the oil stream and direct the oil stream inwardly toward the center area of the bottom where there is an oil outlet for removal of the oil. In the process, the compressed air flows upwardly and, as explained, exits through the fluid outlet in the upper portion of the housing, preferably the cover.
In accordance with the preferred aspect of the present invention, an engine-driven welder and air compressor combination is disclosed and includes a compressor that provides a stream of compressed air laden with oil. An oil separator is provided mounted adjacent to the engine-driven welder and compressor and receives the oil laden stream of compressed air from the compressor and separates that oil laden stream into an pressurized air stream and a separated oil stream. The compressed air can be used for some pneumatic equipment and the separated oil can then be collected and reused as a lubricant and cooling medium within the combination. As such, the overall combination welder and air compressor includes a convenient oil separator that can be used in conjunction with, physically affixed to, and transported with the combination as an integral component thereof.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a welding and air compression system includes an oil separator that is constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and which separates oil from a stream of air laden with oil from the air compressor to provide a stream of compressed air and a stream of usable oil that has been separated from the initial stream of air laden with oil. The oil is re-circulated back to the air compressor to act as a lubricant and coolant and the compressed air is further passed through a coalescing filter to remove additional oil from the compressed air stream before directing that compressed air to an end use such as pneumatic equipment.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.